The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-11-08
A Brahmin Tradition.


A Brahmin Tradition.
OF all the European nations, the
Brahmins have signalized the English
alone with a doubtful compliment for
there is extant tradition among them
that certain Brahmin sages visited, in
the dim long ago, England, and there
created white men, whom they called
Gandanas, or God-fearing men, but
ultimately these sages became disgust
ed with the ancient Britons, on account
of their keeping pariahs as servants.
The learned Brahmin who told me of
this tradition failed, however. to in
form me who created the pariah, or
human being of low degree. So par
ticular are the Brahmins about the
maintenance of their castle that the
richer community only employ bereaved
Brahmin widows or their poor relatives
for the execution of their household du-
ties, and it may be said that no matter
how servile may be the position of a
Brahmin in Brahmin household. no
insult is given, but the servitor is held
in as much consideration as is the
master. The lot of the Hindo widow
is not happy one-for the law pre-
vents her from again entering the
marriage state, and therefore she is
often compelled to work for liveli-
hood. The Braminical law, so arbitra-
nv in other respect is not the less here.
Widows are compelled to wear white,
to always keep their heads shaved and
covered, but the dhoti form of dress is
preserved, and even the doubtful pleas
ure of snuff is withheld from them.
1t will be seen that the position of
the Brahmin woman in South India is
enviable to that of her sisters in
North India. Though she is not re-
garded as an equal, she is little better
than chattel. The average Hindoo
mind cannot receive a woman as a hui
man being possessed of soul and sensi-
bility Though she influences the as
pirations of her children, shapes their
destines, yet she is withheld from shar-
ing their trumphs or their pleasures.
Feelings akin to pity arise in the Eng
lish breast or rather Indignation, as
when passing through the native vii
lagos he sees engaged in severe toll
the women, while the men, squatting
on the ground before their houses, en-
Joy in the cool of eventide the songs Of
the wandering minstrel or the latest
marvel from the lips of the profession
al story teller. 1t is reported that the
most cruel in their treatment of the
women are the Iengars, who claim for
themselves more than ordinary attri-
butes. The European is to him no less
an object of contempt than a pariah,
and when the Iengar talks with Grit
fin Gas a newly arrived Englishman in
India is called) he does not show his
disdain, for fastidious Brahmins, when
they speak to a Sudra or European are
accustomed to place their hand on the
stomach, and catching the holy thread
present the back of the hand to the
person addressed, and at the close of
the conversation, by rotary motion.
they display the palm. To those who
choose to regard this as an insult it is
such.
The Brahmin is bundle of extra
ordinary contradictions. Witness him
buying load of wood from parah.
He halls the unfortunate creature, who.
setting down his burden, edges away
while the Brahmin examines it. The
Brahmin then moves away. The pariah
approaches the wood, and with his
hands before his mouth, lest his breath
touch the person OF his august pur-
chaser he concludes the sale. No pariah
uses the public highway made by Brit
ish money and under British supervi.
sion while noble Brahmin passes.
Brahmin youth are beset from their
birth with tedious restrictions, the theme
which never tires with their parents.
Perhaps their only luxury is that OF
taking snuff. and in this even the law
interferes and laws down certain age
when they may begin; to bachelor
this pleasure is prohibited; snuff taking
can only begin with matrimony. San
Francisco Chronicle.
A Serious Disorder.
A little boy who attends Sunday